Alternative Healing

While modern medicine has its place in our lives and is often necessary, alternative healing is a complementary approach that can keep health improving even more efficiently, and all by natural means.

Pins and needs

Acupuncturist Ping Lisbin, who owns the Wellness Center of Shillington, specializes in the work of many needles benefitting the body. She explains that acupuncture needles placed at specific points across different sections of skin play an integral role by stimulating the body to heal itself.

“It opens energy pathways in the body to promote healing and often helps to repair organ damage,” Lisbin says, noting that acupuncture brings the life energy known as Qi (or Chi—the energy that keeps people feeling happy and alive) into a healthier alignment.

And in contrast to Western medicine, acupuncture is not only used for treatment after health problems arise, but it is a preventative measure

in wellness.

Chronic pain, problems from injuries and insufferable headaches are some reasons Lisbin sees clients visiting her for this ancient art, which has been practiced for more than 5,000 years in Asian countries.

Non-traditional Massage

As the owner and president of European Medical Massage & Spa in West Lawn, Dorel Lacatus uses craniosacral therapy techniques on clients looking for relief with problems in functioning comfortably.

He uses light and strategic forms of therapeutic touch around the skull, face and spine to disperse and regulate cerebrospinal fluid. This therapy originated in the 1970s.

If you feel unbalanced (like with vertigo), or your mind is not clear (and you’re confused), craniosacral therapy may be for you, Lacatus says. Headaches, migraines and heavy breathing are also issues that can see benefits from this form of alternative healing.

Lacatus’ experience is largely with those who have suffered severe injuries and traumas from car and work accidents, but craniosacral therapy can also alleviate difficulties strongly linked to stress and tension-related disorders, autism, chronic fatigue, scoliosis, fibromyalgia, orthopedic problems and other body troubles.

A Healing Spirit

Marissa Anderson is a reiki practitioner at Aurum Holistic Skincare in West Reading and often brings clients a unique sense of peace in the world today through this energy work of Japanese origin.

“Reiki is a universal loving spirit energy that heals,” Anderson says. It involves a practitioner lightly resting hands above a client’s body and moving them slowly to different areas where there may be internal blockages of Qi.

Some may feel intense heat as the practitioner’s hands move just inches away from the skin, aiding in the flow of reiki.

“Reiki is very restful and restorative,” Anderson explains. “It takes you to a deeper state and helps you to feel renewed. Fifteen minutes of reiki can be equal to a few hours of sleep because in this deeper state, the body heals and repairs itself.”

Anderson notes that reiki is a wonderful complementary treatment to chemotherapy, surgery or other procedures. She also describes it as effective with psychotherapy.

“The ability to bring a person to a deeper state,” Anderson says, “such as what we experience in slow-wave sleep or non-REM sleep — where our calming parasympathetic nervous system is activated, and the body repairs and regenerates tissues — builds bone and muscle and strengthens the immune system.”